Device for transferring mail



E. CAMPBELL. DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING MAIL.

No. 584,152 Patented June 8,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

EZRA CAMPBELL, OF DAYTON, \VASHINGTON.

DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING MAIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ?atent No. 584,152, dated June 8, 1897.

Application filed November 16,1896. Serial No. 612,298. (No model.)

E M whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EZRA CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Columbia and State of Nash ington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Transferring Mail; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to mechanism for transferring mail to and from moving trains.

The object of the present invention is the provision of improved and simplified mailbag cranes for the car and station platform.

Having this object in view, the invention consists of certain improvements and combinations,as will appear more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure i represents a vertical side elevation of a railway maiLca-r and a station supplied with my improved mail-bag cranes, and Fig. 2 a plan View thereof.

I provide the mail-car with two of my improved swinging cranes,which are d u plicates. The platform is also provided with duplicate cranes.

The mail-car cranes consist of a vertical rod A, working freelyin clips 1 and provided with a horizontal extension or arm 2, having a depressed central portion 3. This horizontal arm is also connected to the vertical rod by an inclined brace 4, provided with a short horizontal arm 5, situated in parallel relation to the arm 2. A tongue 6 is pivoted to the extremity of the upper arm 5 and has its free end projecting slightly into the depression 3 to prevent the tongue from swinging outwardly. An inwardly-curved yoke 7 extends between the upper andlower horizontal arms and is slidably connected thereto.

T he numerals 8 and 9 designate collars secured on the respective arms, and 10 and 11 coil-springs interposed between the sliding yoke and said collars. Suitable crank mechanism 12 affords means for swinging the crane. The platform-cranes are of the same con struction as the in ail-oar cranes with a few exceptions. The horizontal arms are of equal upright rod is journaled in a tubular stand ard 13, which is connected bysuitable braces 14: t0 the platform and provided with a setsorew 15 for securing the rod in position when it is turned or raised or lowered. Each mailbag should be provided with a ring 16 of slightly greater diameter than the distance between the horizontal arms of the platformcrane, so that it may slide easily on said arms.

Let it be assumed that the mail-car is proceeding in the direction denoted by the arrow and that it is desired to simultaneously receive mail on the car and also deliver mail therefrom. Such being the case the respective arms are set in the positions shown in Fig. 2, and mail-bags are located on the rearcar crane and the forward-platform crane, as shown. As the car travels forward the mailbag held by the rear-car crane is caught therefrom by the lower arm of the rear-platform crane, and immediately afterward the mailbag held on the front-platform crane is caught therefrom by the arm of the front mail-car crane. The mail-car crane can then be swung around and the mail-bag removed therefrom. As the ring of the mail-bag is received on the horizontal arm the inertia of the bag carries it along the arm,lifting the pivoted tongue and allowing the bag to be received on the spring-cushioned yoke, which breaks the force of the impact. The tongue then drops by gravity and the bag falls in to the depression in the lower arm, where it is held suspended until removed from the crane.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A mail-bag crane, comprising the combination of upper and lower arms, the lower arm being adapted to receive the mail-bag, a cushioned yoke sliding on said arms and adapted to receive the impact of the mailbag, and means for holding said bag in position, substantially as described.

2. A mail-bag crane, comprising the combination with an arm adapted to catch themail-bagand having a depression for receiving the latter, of a backing for receiving the impact of the bag when caught on the arm, and a pivoted tongue adapted to abut 011 said arm and hold the bagin the depression, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribi ing Witnesses. I

EZRA CAMPBELL. \Vitnesses:

GEO. B. BAKER, FANNIE DORE. 

